Just In: StormFiber Gallops into Hyderabad

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StormFiber has just made an announcement of the general availability of its fiber broadband services in Hyderabad at an event hosted in the city.

The organization which is part of Cybernet, amongst Pakistan’s oldest and last remaining locally owned ISPs, currently provides triple play service over fiber in five major Pakistani cities, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Multan.

Launching their Fiber to the Home (FTTH) services in Hyderabad – after the StormFiber’s recent foray into Multan – represents a key milestone in Cybernet’s strategic expansion throughout Pakistan.

In the first phase, StormFiber will cover Latifabad, Qasimabad, Defence, Civil Lines, Muslim society, GOR colony with expansion plans already afoot to cover other parts of the city.

The second largest city of Sindh, Hyderabad is a city of immense historic and strategic importance. It is home to a suite of businesses and has a burgeoning middle class, representing a rich demand for reliable internet that only a fiber broadband network can deliver.

Ultra-fast and stable broadband service is an important catalyst for economic development in the modern era. To further these national interests, StormFiber aims to deliver fiber broadband on metro and GPON (gigabit passive optical network) infrastructure, along with HD television and crystal-clear voice services. Access to one of Pakistan’s most robust fiber optic networks will help put Hyderabad on the map at par with global metropolitan cities.

Stormfiber launch in hyderabad

(From Left) Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin CFO Cybernet, Mr Fawad Laher MD Stormfiber, Mr Maroof Ali Shahani COO Cybernet, Professor Doctor Tauha Hussain Ali, Pro-VC, Mehran Univeristy of Enginnering and Technology Jamshoro, Mr Saleem Soomro, BUH Stormfiber Hyderabad and Mr Adnan Siddiqi, MD ODN at the launch of StormFiber in Hyderabad

Stormfiber hyderabad launch ceremony

Chief Guest Prof. Dr. Tauha Hussain Ali, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro pointed out that:

“In terms of the future, an optical fiber based fixed-line broadband network is an immense opportunity since it is capable of offering ultra-fast data rates and will ultimately allow StormFiber to offer smart home solutions besides creating value for small businesses and corporations.”

Mr. Fawad Yousuf Laher Stormfiber hyderabad launch

Speaking at the event, Mr. Fawad Yousuf Laher, Managing Director, StormFiber said:

“StormFiber has created a reliable, fiber-based delivery platform for high speed internet and other services which will delight its users.

 

The increased speeds and reliability will lead to immense in productivity and positively impact the GDP of the area.

 

Our vision is to create an enabling environment for the citizens of our country, ultimately contributing to the economic development of our nation, as well as Hyderabad and Sindh in particular.”

During the event, Mr. Salman Yousuf, Head of Marketing, also stated:

“Today is a day of immense gratitude and pride for us, a local Pakistani company, to be able to serve the people of Hyderabad, the heart of the Mehran.

 

At StormFiber and Cybernet we look to continually add value to our customers. Our triple play services, with HDTV, voice and high-speed broadband is just the beginning as we look to add more value rich features for our customers across Pakistan.

 

We believe that a robust internet infrastructure capable of supporting gigabit speeds is now a requirement for every developed economy and it is our dream to bring fiber broadband to the far reaches of Pakistan, putting Pakistani cities at par with the most developed cities of the world.

 

To realize this vision of bringing ultra-fast broadband to underserved parts of Pakistan we require the support of the provincial and federal governments and local right of way granting authorities.

 

Today does marks an important step in increasing fiber penetration in Sindh although penetration in the province outside of Karachi stands at close to 0%. We appeal to the Government of Sindh to repeal the 19.5% tax on fiber broadband subscriptions as this is a tax on the entire household which shares the connection and has a crippling impact on much needed investment in fiber.

 

This provincial service tax goes into effect on any broadband subscription over 4mbps or Rs. 2,500/- per month – whichever comes first.

 

This tax anomaly has an adverse, unintended consequence: broadband service providers in Sindh have a disincentive to increase speeds to more than 4mbps as the tax to the consumer will go up by nearly 20%. Similarly, the consumer has little incentive to subscribe to packages above 4mbps as the final price to be paid goes up disproportionately.

 

This 4mbps speed limit is being applied at a time when the European Commission is setting a universal broadband speed target of a minimum of 100mbps across every EU household by 2025.

 

In addition to the provincial services tax, the federal government imposes an additional 12.5% advance income tax bringing the total tax to a whopping 32% of every household broadband subscription.

 

Compare this situation to the United States for example where the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom act – aimed at preserving the informational, educational and commercial potential of the Internet – is now a law which specifically prohibits any federal, state or local tax on broadband services for all times to come.

 

We have written letters to authorities explaining the tax anomaly and appealed for tax relief in order to spur investment in fiber broadband, but there has been no action yet.

 

We will continue to struggle and to appeal to provincial and federal governments and tax authorities to take a long-term view of fiber broadband such as that in US, China and Europe and repeal the onerous taxes on fiber broadband once and for all.”

Company sources have also confirmed that over the last 5 years the company has completed deploying fiber backbones and metro networks in a number of other cities.

The teams in these cities have been working in parallel for quite some time to deploy GPON for triple play services and it may be expected that more cities will be added to the list soon.


  • This is so crazy. These companies do headlines saying we are in this city, that city, but when you call them asking that they are now in Lahore or Hyderabad so can we get our connection? They then reply oh sorry we are not in your area. We have just launched for the richer comunity and so only in posh area. As you come in the middle or lower class category so you will have to wait for the next century to get our service……lol
    Pakistan will never get out of VIP culture. This is just rediculus

    • This comment is just silly and ludicrous. VIP culture? I know for a fact they have been stopped from Wapda Town and many parts of Lahore because cable operators have exclusive agreements with the management.

      This mentality of yours will get you admitted to a mental asylum. If FTTH companies invest they are damned and if they don’t they are damned.

  • Amir, wether you like it or not it is true. I think you need to go to a mental asylum not me. Where I live there is no cable mafia or a society that will not allow them to enter. My story is that I offered them to invest myself for the connection but still a big No. just next to us there is a posh area and they provide service there. I requested them what ever the cost of installin fiber line, I will bear. Unfortunately u got heart with my comment cause it is true.

    • I am not at all taking your comment to heart. I find it has no merit and totally illogical. Just for a second get off your high horse and just think. If their pricing is VIP then they should stick in VIP. Anything wrong with this? By your logic we should say Mercedez is a sick mentality vip company because they only make cars for rich vips. Maaf kardo Baba. If their pricing is vip and they stick to vip even that is ok. But if the pricing is affordable for others and they don’t come to those areas it is not vip mentality but it makes no business sense.

      And let me tell you I have zero interest if Storm or Multi or anyone comes to my area but I will tell you that Storm showed most interest and the management is not allowing them because of tie up with some old cable operators. It is not Storm fault they write many many letters and visit many times. I feel it is important to cut them slack and not just make insults over insults and this pathetic attitude even when they are investing.
      If you are so bugged just move to Dubai. There you say anything against Etisalat you will go to the prison and come out at Eid after saying sorry.

      • Well my friend, you r answer explains it all!! Mercedes does not make cars for the rich only. It is again our people and mafia here in Pakistan that makes it that way. If you look at Mercedes inventory even in other third world countries they have cars for every category. But any way I will not argue any further. A few years from now you will understand. People have lost their thinking ability and this will get worse in coming years.

        • The cheapest Merc sold in UK is an a class hatch that starts at 25000ÂŁ which is equal to 4 million rupees, taxes are a bit low in US for comparison but your claim that they make a car for every category is hardly credible.

          Stormfiber can’t enter every area because there’s a setup expense for fibre optic, they can only go to areas where a significant number of people are willing to pay for it plus there are areas where authorities don’t allow because they’ve contracts with ptcl etc.

  • Does anyone know how many actual total subscribers does Storm Fiber have by now?

    How about for other fiber providers like Optix, Wateen, Worldcall, Nayatel etc?

    This way you know the difference between talk and action.

  • In cities where they already are; they are covering limited areas and just entering into more cities. First they should majorly cover existing cities where they are.

  • They need to enhance their coverage area. With these guys expanding, finally the public can say goodbye to ptcl which is good for nothing.


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